Security pros turn to Rocket League for recruitment

Security firm QinetiQ has turned to an interesting avenue for future cyber security recruitment: Rocket League, players of which it is hoping to find at an event in partnership with London's Science Museum.

Ever since the first computer game bounced onto an oscilloscope screen, there have been two camps arguing away at each other. The first camp says that games cause violence, are addictive, waste childrens' lives away, and can offer little to no real-world value; the second that they can help improve hand-eye coordination, team-building skills, reaction times and the like.

Fitting firmly into the latter camp is security specialist QinetiQ, which believes that gamers may prove an as-yet underutilised resource for the future of the cyber security industry - and it's putting on an event in London this month to prove it.

Set up in partnership with the London Science Museum, as part of its Lates events programme, and the British Esports Association, the event will allow attendees to take part in casual Rocket League matches while posing the question of whether competitive gaming could lead to a career in cyber security. 'Recent research has found that competitive gaming has numerous benefits,' the trio claim in support of the effort, 'including the development of cognitive skills, reaction times, leadership and communication skills, problem-solving skills, character development - even behaviour and attendance levels at schools.'

'We’re excited to partner with QinetiQ and explore the parallels between esports and cyber security, and how it may be a career path for gamers,' says British Esports Association chief executive Chester King of the event. 'Rocket League is a great way of engaging an audience and we look forward to seeing many of you getting involved on the night.'

Those interesting in attending the event, which is part of a larger Science Museum Lates programme dubbed Top Secret, can book tickets on the official website; the event itself runs from 1845 to 2200 on September 25th.